


Leap of Faith

by howtohold



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Omega Tony Stark, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:35:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26680747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howtohold/pseuds/howtohold
Summary: "Steve, I...Look, one day you'll find an accomplished omega, or beta, or alpha, and then you'll live your happily-ever-afters with them in a white picket fence mansion."His heart squeezed at the thought of Steve bonding with someone else but he grit his teeth and continued."They'll be the perfect mate. Always taking care of you and making sure you know you're loved--""But they're not you, Tony. I could only ever love you."
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 310





	Leap of Faith

**Author's Note:**

> You know that scene in Little Women where Laurie proposes to Jo?
> 
> That inspired this whole fic, lmao.
> 
> But this one's happy ending cause I'm a sucker for happy endings.
> 
> Also, this is un-beta'd.

"-- Hope's finally agreed to marry Scott. Thor's smiling genuinely nowadays. Bucky's out there protecting the friendly neighborhood with Pete and Sam. And you know how those two mouth off so Bucky's either a saint or he's using tech that can mute the noise spilling from those two."

Steve watched with a fond smile as Tony waved his hands animatedly while talking about their team, their family. 

"Everyone's settled nicely and life seems to move forward after everything's that happened -- which is good, great, fantastic -- but," 

Tony took a few steps forward and spread out his arms. He turned back to face Steve.

"It's all wonderful. We've got the team back and you're all set to attend an Intergalactic Summit in a few weeks time! Imagine that, _we're friends with aliens now!_ Hah!" 

Tony continued walking and Steve followed closely behind. They head towards the farm that Tony build near the compound. 

"The way things are now... Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for this semblance of peace we have. But, there's -- there's this anxiety bubbling within me. I feel restless, everyone's out there moving on with their lives and what am I doing?"

Tony barked out a short laugh that had a slight hysterical tone. The truth is that he's envious. After Thanos, he worked hard with everyone to make things better. He helped familes reunite and spent so much time and effort trying to get back the normal version of Earth, the way everything once was back when Thanos hadn't snapped his gross fingers yet.

Now that it looked like they finally achieved what they aimed for, Tony's just....lost.

"You don't have to keep helping others, Tony. You've done more than enough."

Tony huffed. "What should I do then? Live on the farm and devote my life to my beautiful alpacas? You know what, that actually sounds amazing. Maybe you can join me." 

Tony turned to face Steve, a playful grin plastered on his face. He expected the alpha to be smiling too but there's solemn look on Steve's face instead.

The grin on Tony's face fell as he meet Steve's gaze. It was piercing, heated, and Tony's heart started pounding.

He recognized that look. It terrified him, knowing what's about to come. 

They've always been stuck in a 'more than friends, less than lovers' type of relationship. Tony always yearned for something more but he doesn't allow himself to try.

Because,

Because he knows Steve wanted too.

And they can't. _They just can't._

Tony shook his head. His eyes looked scared as he held Steve's gaze. Steve opened his mouth but Tony didn't let him speak.

"No, no." Tony insisted despite how much he wanted to just run into Steve's arms and stay there for the rest of his life.

Tony made a move to walk aways but Steve trailed closely behind. He stepped in front of Tony in attempt to get his attention.

"Tony, it's no use. I can't hide anymore."

"-- No, Cap. _Please_ \--" Tony side-stepped and continued walking away from Steve. But Steve just followed him.

" -- _I have loved you ever since New York!_ And I tried to stop it, convinced myself that I shouldn't. And, and after Siberia I had _no right --"_

Tony clenched his fists. "-- Seriously, stop this --"

Steve shook his head and even though his face is all scrunched and flushed, his hair all messed up, sticking up in various positions because of the wind, he still looked heart-achingly _beautiful_. 

Stubbornly, he talked. Still insisted on Tony hearing him out. Tony's always been weak to him.

"-- I never stopped loving you even when I thought you could never love me back. Even when I lost all my chances. But here we are again, and you never really told me if you have the same feelings -- which is fine, but I must say this,"

Tony shook his head again, as if to silently beg Steve not to talk, not to say what he is about to say. He justs wants Steve to stop.

But it's no use. Steve clenched his jaw. His eyes gleamed with so much emotion.

"I love you, Tony."

Steve said it with utmost sincerity and overflowing passion that it broke Tony's heart. 

"And I can't spend another day thinking about what your answer would be --"

Tony closed his eyes. If he spends another second staring at the earnest look in Steve's face, he'd cry. "-- Please, please, no --"

"-- And _I can't_ , Tony. I can't push away what I feel and I can't force you to feel what I feel. But I waited, and waited, and _waited_ \-- because I hoped,"

Steve paused and took a steadying breath. He licked his lips nervously.

"I hoped you'd love me, Tony."

Tony relucantly opened his eyes. Steve's voice when he confessed that he wished Tony would love him was so raw and broken. 

_I hoped you loved me too, Steve._

But Tony doesn't say that. 

Instead, he grabbed Steve's hands and held it tight. They're rough and calloused just like his. But they're warm and perfect.

"Steve, you're a wonderful man. You have a big heart, you shine in every single way and you help me become a better man but -- but I don't deserve you."

Steve furrowed his brows, "Don't say that. Tony, don't say that --"

"-- No, Steve. You don't understand. You and me? We're a _disaster_."

Steve backed away. "We could work. We could be happy, Tony! If we take this chance --"

"-- I can't. I don't want to risk what we have now. Come on, we both know it's not going to work! Look at us! We're _arguing_ right now --"

"-- We don't argue all the time --"

"-- I'm sorry, Steve. I can't afford to have you only for you to eventually see that I was right."

With that, Tony wished Steve would drop the subject entirely and they proceed inside the farm to feed the animals. Tony prayed that Steve would shrug it off and treat him like this whole exchange didn't happen.

\-- But Steve looked so hurt, devastation plastered on his face. It clawed Tony's heart to see him crushed.

"Steve, I...Look, one day you'll find an accomplished omega, or beta, or alpha, and then you'll live your happily-ever-afters with them in a white picket fence mansion."

His heart squeezed at the thought of Steve bonding with someone else but he grit his teeth and continued.

"They'll be the perfect mate. Always taking care of you and making sure you know you're loved --"

"But they're not you, Tony. _I could only ever love you._ " Steve whispered hoarsely. Tony bit back the whine that's threatening to spill from his throat. 

"You don't want me, Steve. I -- I'm not, I can't even take care of myself. I'll spend my days at the lab. I'll forget our anniversaries --"

 _"-- I love you, Tony."_ Steve interrupted.

"-- I'll burn our dinner. I'll disturb your sleep. I drink too much coffee and get pissy when I don't. I have no filter. I talk too much -- 

_"-- I love you, Tony."_ Steve repeated, insisted. As though, he wanted to convey that he is aware about all these and loved Tony still.

Tony felt his resolve crack.

Because Steve is such a stubborn idiot, he told him again,

_"I love you, Tony."_

There was little distance between them and yet it felt like they each stood at cliff's edge. Steve took a step forward and Tony held his ground.

"You said before that you wanted to build a farm, settle down with someone and live a simple life. I could give that to you, if you'd let me."

" _Really?_ You would retire? Hang up the shield and all that?"

Steve closed the distance between them. He held Tony's hands.

"I wouldn't hang the shield. I'll pass it on to Sam. And then, we're free to spend the rest of our lives spoiling that fuzzy alpaca you love."

And that? Well, that sounds like the dream sleeping inside Tony's mind for many years now. If they're lucky, maybe there'll be a kid or two playing around with the sheeps and rabbits.

_Don't waste it. Don't waste your life, Stark_

With a shaky exhale, Tony wrapped his arms around Steve and took a leap of faith.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
